Bond Holder to Florida Clinic for Monitoring

Reddam Racing's FrontRunner Stakes (gr. I) winner Bond Holder has been taken to an Ocala clinic for 24-hour monitoring, trainer Doug O'Neill said March 6.

The 3-year-old son of Mineshaft   continues to recover from injuries sustained during an eventful FedEx plane ride to New Orleans, where he was supposed to have run in the Feb. 22 Risen Star Stakes (gr. II). After he was scratched from the Risen Star because of the injuries, his connections planned to run him in the March 8 Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II), but he required more time than expected after developing an abscess in his left hind foot.

For previous coverage and a podcast interview with O'Neill, click here.  

"The effects from that initial plane ride are still lingering and we think it is in his best interests to be in a clinic-like setting to be closely monitored," O'Neill said. "He didn't need to go and he has been receiving excellent care with the vets and farrier that come to see him daily, but we want the best for him and think this is the next logical step in his becoming 100%."

O'Neill said the abscess was "just a little more than we initially thought," and called the reason for sending the colt to the clinic "nothing major."

Bond Holder's current record stands at 1-1-2 with earnings of $366,000. He ranks 14th, with 11 points, on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) leaderboard.